Good morning. I'll call the county board of commissioners regular meeting to order. On this day, Tuesday, August 12th, at 8:30 a.m., we begin our meeting with the pledge. So, please rise. I aliance to the flag of the United
States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Are there any adjustments to the agenda? >> I'll hear a motion to approve.
>> So moved. >> Support. All in favor? >> I >> oppos. Same sign. >> Before we get our begin begin our official meeting, I'd like to welcome our new administrator. >> And we had a little discussion yesterday about um her name, your name. And she
said you can call me uh Christian Trible >> or administrator Treble. So that's how we're going to address you >> for the future reference even though your name tag is gives you the whole works. >> Thank you, Commissioner. Okay, at this time we will have a uh public comment
period, but as I look out here, I see no one unless someone would would like to step up with anything. Okay, so then I'll ask the board, have any of you received any uh public comments that you wish to share? Okay, thank you on that.
Moving on to the consent agenda, um which um covers quite a bit. So I'll read that off. We have the claims, the minutes um of the county board meeting from July 22nd, a resolution to support the flap of application, renewal of
annual liquor and tobacco licenses. Um the resignations of the following speak uh folks. John Speaker um termination of an employee Dana Logan, resignation of Allison McIntyre, resignation of Marissa
Chapman and uh appointment of out of class appointment and the hire of Megan Mlanahan. Commissioner Gamble. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. support. All in favor?
>> I >> oppose. Same sign. Motion passes unanimously. Uh moving on to our uh first item of business. Uh Neva Maxwell will be coming up to talk about residential open space
overlay. Right. Good morning everyone. Morning. So, this is the continued saga of the newly created residential open space overlay district with corresponding open space subdivision bonus residential densities. It's a mouthful. Um, but for
administrator treble, welcome to the county. Uh, this is a set of ordinance revisions that were passed in May of this year. And the aim is to create a route for property owners with larger tracks of acreage in the county that are welllo to potentially create clustered
developments of residential development. So um with that said, the H did their strategic planning over the last month and they identified five strategic priorities for their next year. One of which was to try to help get this Roso district off the ground. And so I met
with the H director and we talked about different ideas for how to do that. And we identified that there's a big gap in knowledge for property owners. You know, they're not land developers. And so we figured we would host a series of community meetings throughout the county to try to meet with land owners and answer their questions. If anyone has
property that might be interested in learning more about this, seeing, you know, I've I've got 20 acres. Uh it's a five acre minimum lot size. you know, should I create four, five acre lots or should I try to create eight residential lots and have 50% of that land set
aside, the wetlands and the bluffs and all that? And so, um, we're we'll be hosting these meetings. And so, uh, the H director and I wanted to come to you and present these, uh, potential dates that we're planning on having. Um, and so we have set aside, um, and confirmed
dates. And I have kind of a draft flyer. I'm still waiting to confirm one date. I was hoping to have that ready for you completely. But our plan to get this going is there'll be a series of meetings uh throughout August and September on Mondays and Tuesdays. Uh we'll be at the Holand Town Hall, the
Kovville Town Hall, the Shop Community Center, uh the Courthouse here, and then Schroeder Township uh is is the fifth one that I'm still completely waiting to get settled. Um so something a little bit everywhere. We're hoping the H will be sending out a mailing to property
owners that are ideally within a half mile of those public roads with acreages over 15 acres in size that are kind of in that queried uh search area so that people will get a little postcard in the mail say, "Hey, there's these series of meetings. We'd love to have you come and
attend." And also I would really welcome land owners if they are interested in this they can contact me ahead of time personally and I would love to look up their property help kind of do that initial you know review for them so they kind of know if it's worth their time. Um you know the H has a lot of access to
technical resources and can help land owners get directed towards the professionals that could help them you know get these things off the ground. So that is what I wanted to put on your radar. you have so many touch points with our community and so I was hoping that you can help us get the word out about this if you know anyone who might
be interested and then we'll have a formal flyer. I have a draft today. Um I hesitate to give it to you. I was hoping to get confirmed with our H director beforehand but he's wasn't able to join us today. Um but I can give this to you ahead of time so you at least have most of those dates and kind of a summary of
this information. And then if there's any questions and also just a reminder if you guys are interested in attending, uh I would just appreciate knowing in advance so we don't have any open meeting law issues. Um and so that's more or less what I have for you. And if you have any ideas for how we can make this better, I I really welcome that. Um
the dates begin on August 26th and roll through September 30th. So Neva, I do have a question in regards to Schroeder. Is that the only area or is it Luden and Toy included going to Schroeder or what was your selection on
Schroer? >> Yeah, we tried to host at the Looten Town Hall. Um, we had difficulties getting feedback on the availability of the room and so, uh, Schroeder Township in the interest of time, you know, we have to get these mailings going. They were receptive and very available. That
September 29th date we're planning on Schroeder coincides with the same night that Schroeder Township will be having their public meeting for their land use plan update. I've been working with the township land use planning committee over the last year uh to talk about their plan update. And so we have kind
of a final draft of that. So at 7:00 the township will be having their community meeting on that plan update to receive all the public input from the neighbors on uh what they think of the proposed plan update. But this meeting will be at 5:00. So it'll be just before at the same location. Hoping that will be
efficient, convenient for folks. >> So everyone from the West End would be invited. >> Yeah. Everyone's invited to any of the meetings. You know, if there's a meeting right in your backyard, but you have softball that night, then come over to, you know, the next meeting. So it's totally okay. Yep. >> Thank you.
>> Questions or comments? Commissioner Gamble. >> Yeah. Thank you, Madam Chair. U just want to comment and u commend the uh the effort to move things forward. oftentimes we put things in place and um we celebrate getting them in place but
we don't do the further work of getting it out and making accessible to people. So I I think this is great whatever we can do to let people know during a busy summer season but uh nevertheless make an effort so that we keep it moving forward. We've created the opportunity
and now we want to see who's going to take advantage of that and certainly to inform them is is a big part of that. So thank you for your efforts. Thank you, Commissioner Gamble. Part of also of this timeline, too, was trying to get the folks who are seasonal up here. We recognize that if we waited till the winter time, a lot of people might be
Arizona. So, Sure. >> Just trying to get people while they're still in the area. >> Any other comments or questions? Okay. Well, thank you so much for the info and we look forward to those meetings. >> Thank you so much for your time. I'll send you out a final version of the flyer when I get everything confirmed.
Have a great day. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Great. Thanks. Moving on to item five then LEC expansion bid approval commissioners. Thank you for having us. Um this has been a long journey to get
to where we are. Um, we had we went out and publicly solicited bids. We had a nice bid return for being in Grand Marray, which is always can be a struggle to find contractors to come up here. Um, we started the journey with a budget number of close to $8 million
with with the CIP money and we came in about 8.5. So, I I think the bid results we did pretty well. Um, and this includes a lot of the CIP stuff in the existing building, the the HVAC upgrades, the the roof replacement,
uh, the shower expansion, upgraded flooring, uh, a multiple of things. Um, so we are we are at, as you can see by my comment here, we are at 8.458 is where we ended up being. I was
looking like 8.5 and we came in a little bit under that. So, I'm very happy with it. I hope you guys are. Um it's uh the contractors, we had a pile of bid responses. So that was great. So we are looking forward to for an approval um to
move forward with contract. Uh permitting's already been applied for. We have a timeline right now that we need to move on. Uh pre-cast originally during bid time came in as a February March delivery time. I got I have it moved up to around Thanksgiving, but we
have to we have to make some commitments uh soon. So, we are looking for a commitment to move forward with this project and get under construction before winter comes. >> Brook, do you have anything to add? >> Yes. So, we have uh owner supplied
items. Um some on your list, some that that were missed on the list. We have the uh special inspections, appliances, temp controls, TVs, uh the law enforcement lockers, the transformer replacement. Then we also have some
interior signage, uh fume hood, landscaping, and then all the interior furniture. So, with all of the owner supplied items, I'm at approximately 4 $465,643. big ticket of that is the is the
furniture, the cubes, the offices, the conference rooms, and the the uh emergency operations center. >> Okay. Thank you. Comments or questions? Commissioner Gamble. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. So, uh the
combined is around 90 million, >> correct? >> And um the the question would be and and you prefaced your comments by saying it's been a long journey. Um, usually when you're intentional and you take time in doing something, uh, you you you
can underscore that you've been thorough and your experience is as a contractor when you're looking at things and pricing them out and trying to anticipate and whatever else to make sure that we've got everything covered that um, uh, I'm sure your experience has taught you that often times the
chargeable changes are what ends up killing, you know, making it very difficult. ult uh financially and I think the stewardship responsibility basically and why we hire individuals such as your organization is is because we want to be good stewards of that
anticipate put it all in so we don't have any surprises. So my comment in in making that statement or question basically is is how comfortable are you given your experience that we've done our due diligence here to protect ourselves against additional costs?
>> We have done our due diligence. We've done weeks and weeks of bid reviews, uh discussing with Brooke, uh looking at uh BKV's documents, uh finding the holes, picking up the stuff that would, as you say, would become a change order. So, is
it perfect? No, it's not perfect. But do I think I mean there there's always discovery in an existing building, but I do not foresee anything large. The only the only um unknown right now is there's a sewer
line, a drain line that runs through the existing parking lot that there was no soil borings done there, but we think that's filled anyhow. So, we may hit rock, we may not hit rock. We have made some allowances for uh rock blasting in
that parking lot right now. Um and we're hoping that's adequate. I think I mean the biggest unknown in in our line of work um is in the dirt. I mean that is really that is really your big biggest surprise factor. I think BKV can attest
to that. So the rest of it's pretty straightforward construction. It's pre-cast. Uh the other unknown would maybe be some incidental stuff inside the existing building that we find during the mechanical upgrade, but I don't see any of those being sizable.
>> Yeah. The other thing as a followup in in our experience up here given what our soil and topography is like is we basically know we're going to the potential to encounter those the rock is is definitely something that's there. So we try to anticipate and do the best we
can in that regard. But um yep >> u the other thing then would be that the board action of course with the timeline that you've set and what you know coordinating all of this so that we manage costs that don't get delayed in process. So appreciate the response. Thank you. Thank you.
>> Can I ask a question, Shane? From back in uh March, there was a list of capital improvement work items. >> Yep. >> And I know some of them were crossed off, but I wasn't aware of how they all landed. I had left that generator was a
>> The generator is in the project. >> It's in the project, correct? >> Okay. And the complete fire alarm replacement >> that is in the project. It's not That's a It's not a complete fire alarm replacement. It's a partial. And the reason that being is your fire alarm system was upgraded in 2019.
>> Okay? >> And the ESC, who is your fire alarm control, service contract right now, said there was absolutely no reason to replace the whole system. >> Which which ended up being a significant cost savings. >> Yeah. I knew it was we weren't sure at
that time. >> Yep. Exactly. >> And then the the last one I had was that complete security system upgrade. >> There is. >> Yes, there is. and Rowan and I have been speaking a lot about that one here. >> So, yes, that we are we are upgrading
the security system. Correct. >> Okay. >> And and a lot of the cameras switching to the Vicata system. >> Mhm. >> So, we Yeah. So, basically we did you've evaluated all of those and it's either in or it's out and correct >> it's not gonna come later. So,
>> Yep. Commissioner, I have a question and this may be a newbie question, so bear with me, but at some point will we receive um a list of what will be covered by the jail bonds and what will be the CIP bonds? >> Okay, so Brooke and I have been
discussing this. Um the jail bonds cover certain things and the the general bond covers the new building. So when we have a list a list of what you want how you want your money moved around, we will we will develop
that list. >> Okay. Thank you. >> So what I'm going to do is go back to the subcontractors of that discipline of that CIP money and have them break that money out. >> If we would have if we would have done it at bid time, the list wasn't totally
clear. It would have been it would have been ultimate confusion and the PE and the a lot of subcontractors would have say you know what I'm not doing this it's not worth our time but if you do it as a single project and then break it out later it you get a lot better response
>> that make sense. Yeah, that's the way we discuss it in the pre-construction meetings to bid everything and then we'll we'll separate it out and make sure it comes out of the correct >> it's real a lot of the items are very clear what is what is CIP for the existing what are b what are the jail
bonds like the new roof I mean the the generator I'm not so sure what side you're going to slide that on that's a big ticket item but that I have to I have to rely on Brooke to tell me >> yeah like generators and boilers and those type of things that we they were listed in the CIP but they were listed
as at a smaller size to handle the the smaller building. So, because of the added footprint and all the additional square footage and electrical needs, we'll put that onto the LEC bond because we'll have to upsize everything. So that can go into the new construction. And
then we'll still have from the the CIP bond for the VAV replacement some of the flooring that was in the existing, the ceiling grid and lights that was in the existing, the siding demo and reinstall and the windows that are in the old
existing part of the building. That'll come out of the CIP. And the CIP we're sitting at right now is um we had about 2,80,000 in the CIP for three separate buildings. And and Brady and I went through that
and with my current projects with boilers and the downstairs remodel and everything, we're sitting at just over $720,000 in projects that we've already spent that money or it's already been approved and earmarked for projects. So, we're
still, you know, a a good sizable portion over a million dollars available in the CIP bond, and that's not touching the the community center one. >> Yeah. So, when we get our final numbers on the other the basement project, the
rest of the courthouse, and uh we have to do a little bit at the um uh highway department, and uh then the rest uh can go towards this. So, Okay. Other comments, Commissioner Gamble?
>> Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. So, if there's a best way of doing this in your experience, our question basically from a stewardship responsibility is that this will all align so that you know what Kristen is requesting is that that we have that we show that this has been
thought through and that again there won't be any surprises in that regard. So, >> I'd still recommend a 10% contingency just be there, you know. >> Yeah. >> We we can't foresee everything. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Madam Chair, I'd make a motion then to approve the construction bids
for the LEAC expansion project. >> I'll support. Any further comments or questions? All in favor? >> I >> oppose. Motion passes unanimously. Thank you.
>> Sheriff Elias is very happy about the next steps. >> Thank you for sitting there quietly, too, Ben. >> Thank you for coming. >> Thank you for having us. >> Thank you. Work on this. >> Thank you. >> Okay, moving on to item number six.
We'll go to Auditor Green. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. So, first item is uh we're being asked to be a fiscal agent for Superior Cycling Association. Uh they've solicited a grant from ITR
for 27,000 and that's to complete a section of the pin cushion bike trail known as the back 80. Um they started that uh rehabilitation using the 2023 environmental trust
grant. That was about a $200,000 grant, but it wasn't quite enough to finish that. So um so SCA is is actually solicited there the grantee, but uh they'll only allow that with the governmental entity being the fiscal
agent. Um, so we'll probably, well, I know we will be coming back at another meeting to approve a contract. I assume we'll we'll keep going forward with the contractor that's done the rest of the work on pin cush. And this is a small
amount that in and of itself does not require uh bidding. We can negotiate contracts. So, uh, Tim Kennedy was going to be here if you had any further questions on this, but I think this part is is simple that yes, we need to be the
fiscal agent and we'll come back with more on the contract probably at the next meeting. So, >> any questions or comments? I make a motion to approve uh uh us as the fiscal agent for um the 27 $27,000
grant >> support. Any further comments or questions? All in favor? >> I oppose. Same sign. Motion passes unanimously. So, next item is uh public notice we're
required uh to put out for allocation of secure rural school funds. We've gotten these funds um every year now for I don't know better than 10 years I think since they changed the law. We used to get a 25% of the revenue they generate
but they created this new law so that there was uh regular funding not uh dependent upon the work done out in the forest. Um, unfortunately it's it's becoming as unknown as the as the other
method now as uh the funding this year came in uh much much lower than it had been. We've been receiving between 25 and 30,000 a year and this year our funding for title 3 is down to 11,787.
This also affects the highway and the school because they get the bulk of this uh they get the title one part of this. So that's why the highway mentioned that the lowered uh federal funds and that's because of this they're assuming the same thing next year. So they get 42.5%
the school gets 42 and a half and then uh this is 7% for the title three. It supports our firewise program. That's one of the uses allowed for it and primarily it it is for the administration that isn't included in
the other state grants that we get for firewise. So this really uh the coordinator that goes out and uh gets the assessments done and all the public uh contact etc. So uh just your
expectation we may be coming back for a levy at some point because we'll run out of funds if this is the new standard but we we really don't know. I haven't received any information on this. This is just the money that showed up in our bank account. So, but we have to go out
for a 45day comment period before we can use it. So, that's what I'm asking you for today after that long- winded explanation is to accept it and put it out for 45 days that we're going to use it for the fire wise program. So, >> comments, Mr. Gamble.
>> Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. Brady, uh, regarding this secure rural funds, would you say that the the the change in how they distribute or whatever, you know, determines allocation of those dollars is attributable to that change or is it
like when you're looking at our investments where we see that the market we see shifts in the market? So is it impacted more by the market or is impacted by the change of how we >> I think it it's a congressional decision. So it's what they approve in
whatever bills they approve each year. >> And this is a line item in the federal budget >> and it appears there was just a it's a lesser amount that they've approved. >> But our allocation we you know everybody has to choose how they allocate it. There isn't much difference in how you
can take it, but we take it with this the uh the title two and the title three and the seven and 8% and then split the rest with the highway and school, but that's pretty much set. You can only change that two and three numbers by the
county's choice and we get more money for our use the way we do it now. So, >> yeah. And as a followup, you mentioned that the um we use it. I mean it's limited in in how it can be used and we've used it in firewise, but what are some of the other options that we have
when it comes? >> Not much. It's the other main one. It all has to be related to federal >> uh and the firewise is related to the federal force that we are, you know, we're on the edge. We're part of that. >> So it's allowed for that. But the other one is search and rescue. >> Okay. Okay. And the federal for those
are the two main uses for and we have used it for that too. So >> I do have a question because I know we've had this position filled and then not filled currently. Do we have a coordinator? >> Oh yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. That's good. We don't have to go
any further with that. >> It's a company called Parody. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> They do this in the Lake County too. So >> Oh, okay. >> Thanks for the updating. It's Lake. >> It is Lake. Yeah. >> Thanks for the updating on that. Any other questions or comments? Commissioner Gamble.
>> Madam Chair, I make a motion to approve uh the attached notice for publication for the allocation of use of the 2024 secure rural schools title 3 funds. >> Support. >> Any further questions or comments? All in favor? >> I
>> opposed. Same sign. Motion passes unanimously. >> Thank you. So the last item is the general fund budget review for this this is for the second quarter of 2025. So it's a report of the uh budget to actual
and uh the report shows uh general fund budgets generally that require a levy to support the expenses. There's a a few exceptions like uh E911 that is totally revenue funded and aquatic invasive
species which is totally grant funded but we want to track those and I think the board likes to see those are large items as is the uh uh the money that comes in on leases for our towers. We track that too because that's going to go um we're tracking all of it but I
mean here publicly for you it's going to fund our new towers uh replacements but um but generally these are our levy budgets and at 50% of the year you would expect uh in a perfect world 50% revenue and expense but our expenses are at 46%
so that's a good sign for first half of the year and revenues are at 63% that's not unusual at this point because we get that federal the big federal funding in May and June, the federal PILT money which tilts the revenue that way. So our
net expense right now is 29% that'll of course change by the end of the year. Um, one of the big items I'll just get on the list of some things I've highlighted, but ask stop ask anything that catches your eye, but uh,
Department 41 general finance revenue, that's our interest money is still coming in very strong. The rates have dropped slightly, but they still remain high at at just over 4%. I mean, historically, that's a high number for us for investment earnings.
it was uh four to five and a half% two years ago. So, it's dropped in the last two years, but um the expectation is that that's going to drop down to more historical rates, but it continues for the third year in a
row. Um the expenses in that department, we pay all the general insurance uh in the first part of the year. That's when the bill comes from MCAT. This is the portion that they don't split out by department 4. So we put it in this one department in the general fund. Uh data
processing is a little bit high on revenues and that's because of the services they charge uh PHS for their computer services and that's just a little higher than what was budgeted. Our elections uh the revenue is high and that's a timing. We really
budget that over a two-year cycle because most election revenue and expense is every two years. But this was the reimbursements from the towns, the cities, and schools for the 2024 elections that came in in 2025.
Under the administrator department, this is the uh reimbursement from the hospital for the shared uh public information officer. Well, that reimbursement was relieved received in July after this report. Same thing for the victim witness
coordinator. The reimbursement for the state grant comes in August. So it doesn't appear here. Um for the sheriff, uh their revenue is low. The city payment is uh is being received in July. It's already been received, but it's not
on here. And their state amortization aid, which is over 100,000, isn't paid until in the fall. So they look low. Uh the next one is just a typo. There was nothing with the sheriff response unit. The E911 revenue, the state shared
revenue exceeds the budget. We don't put it all into the budget. Um, but we receive more than we need. It goes into our that fund balance. And then they had an expenditure uh a large expenditure in March for a radio system. Uh, under 221
radio, their tower lease fees are exceeding their budget. Um the jail costs are down. The out of county jail boarding and medical costs are lower than we budgeted. These are much lower than say 10 years ago. Uh that's the big
story. Those used to be so high. We thought about >> we thought about expanding that jail because of those increasing costs were getting so high that uh uh it was going to trigger that. But then since then they've continued to come down.
Uh environmental health, the lakeshore septic compliance funds are coming later. It's from the Rainy River watershed. So that's not showing up here yet. Uh the score recycling, they haven't received that first half funding yet. Uh no doubt they will. Emergency
service conference, their donations were less than budgeted. Uh they didn't have the professional fees. They didn't need the donations. uh YMCA always shows up as high revenue because we received the reimbursement for the previous year in January
and extension. They're not asking for the backpack donations that they budgeted. They're going to spend down that fund balance. They have a fund balance you don't see here, but and uh and then you have that high revenue that came in uh from the federal
revenues in that miscellaneous department. And uh that's it unless you have any questions. >> Brady, I would have a question just on the reimbursements and the grant money coming. Do you expect that when we start discussing really uh in depth the levy
in September, do you think these monies will be here or are we looking at almost the end of the year? >> The No, I think most of these the the 50 the halfyear revenues uh these are all stable programs. It's just the it's just
a timing thing right now. >> Uh when you cut off at June 30th, you're just going to miss some of those things. So I there's nothing there that I'm concerned about. >> Okay, that's reassuring. Thank you, Commissioner Mills. >> Off topic, but I want to let know Tim know that we approved uh to be the
fiscal agent, so you don't need to >> Yeah. >> Yeah. you can go get another donut in a couple weeks anyway because we're going to have to talk about agreement. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.
>> So, Commissioner, just to make sure that I'm understanding, Brady, so all of the grant funding is secure for this year. It's just a matter of when we receive the funds budget. >> Everything you've seen on here for grant funding is secure. It's just when they come. >> Thank you.
>> And some are contracts like that. to um uh attorney has a contract uh and we've got a contract with the hospital for the PIO and things like that. >> Sure. >> The city contract for law enforcement,
those are secured historically. So, >> okay. Thank you, >> Commissioner Gavl. >> Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. So, Brady, um and speaking of the contract, sheriff, the contract with the city, when's the last time that was negotiated?
Well, I think it's been discussed a few times, but I don't think it it hasn't changed since >> I think we have, you know, situations like that in in the past. And it's always good to revisit that we might try to start that up. But, uh, >> and when we look throughout the county
and those relationships where we've negotiated, you know, uh, it it just >> looking at that and seeing it's reflective of what our current situation is. Um I think when we look at we we'll take the YMCA as an example. There was
an agreement with the YMCA and the city pretty much has stuck to its commitment and the county you know bears the brunt of that. So when we look at shared responsibility and benefit just a matter of distribution if it if it seems in good faith and common sense that it's
reflected in that contract. That'd be one thing. The other thing is that the revenues that come like in the lease of towers and things like that um any other revenue source that we have if it is defined by law as to what we can do with those funds or if we define for
ourselves a policy that determines how those monies can be used. >> Um yeah there are other things we have several sources I could bring to another meeting sometime >> maybe at a committee of the whole if you want to look at some of those. Yeah. And
I think when we when you get into the budget process when we're looking to try to find, you know, dollars that if if we have pools of money and and it's supported by policy that allows us to be able to use those uh funds or not and I
think having an understanding of that just helps us to be better stewards of those dollars. So that would be appreciated. >> Sure. Mills, I >> I just wanted to update uh the board that we came to what I understood as a
pretty good agreement um regarding the law enforcement contract, but uh apparently we haven't got it quite over the finish line yet. So um but Sheriff Elias and and and Rowan were involved in that and administrator Roth. So um I think we were all on the same page. It's
just that final step there. I think I think any of those things when we're looking at >> I mean there's a lot of things to manage because it's multi-layered but but certainly agreements and contracts and things like that just having a cycle
that is is revisiting and I just think it builds integrity into the process. So >> absolutely >> like I say there's a lot of moving parts on it but it is in a you know in commissioner of the whole uh that that
would be um a good forum to be able to discuss these things and sort of understand get a handle on all of the moving parts. M Commissioner White. >> Um and to that end, uh this started years ago, but there were the commissioners in the city working
together and we started with the streets and I don't know if that contract was actually signed before the snow was falling, but that's completed and now I hear about law enforcement. So my question is when are we going to be doing the YMCA? because I believe now
this would be Commissioner Gamble and I would be the two county and do we have a timeline for that? >> The discussion that we had was that we would enter um into that discussion once the law enforcement contract was settled.
>> So, one contract at a time. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> Any other questions or comments on the budget? Commissioner Sullivan. >> Yes. I'd like to make a motion to
approve the report um for second quarter 2025. >> Support. >> Any further questions or comments? All in favor? >> I >> oppose. Same sign. Motion passes unanimously.
>> Thank you, Brady, on all of that. We look forward to the numbers. Moving on to item number seven, we have administrator updates. Thank you so much, Madam Chair. Um, so given this is my the start of my second week, I
thought I would take this opportunity just to update everyone on the work that I've been doing over the last week, which has essentially been meet and greets uh with people throughout uh the county as well as the community. So, um, just to share with you who I have met,
um, I've met with our management team. I've met with um folks over at the city hall, Mayor Benson, administrator Roth, Patrick Knight, um met with Linda Jurich from the visit Cook County in the chamber. I've met with folks at Northshore Health, administrator, I
might be saying her name incorrectly, but Brolstead >> and um also CEO Serba from the Sawtooth Mountain Clinic. Um, I've met with Superintendent Chris Lynholm, um, the sheriff, and some folks from the
sheriff's office and some staff, the director of the YMCA. And then Arena took me out to Grand Portage where I met with um, chairperson um, Bobby Damp, Anna Desamp, and a couple other um, members of the tribe. I've also toured
the county facilities, most of the facilities. I haven't made it to all of the facilities yet. I did my first WTIP interview with Kirsten and ended the week with um the transfer station grand opening where I had a great opportunity to meet many community members which was
um a fantastic time and in ended the day at um Grand Portage with the rendevu days. So it's been a busy week. Um I will share that everyone has been unbelievably welcoming and it's just been a great opportunity so far. So
excited to be here. Great. Glad you've been able to get out and about and um start the uh review of this community plus maybe um nature too. >> Yes. In the future. >> Yes. Thank you.
Moving on to employee concerns, commissioner concerns, reports, meeting updates. Anybody have anything to share? I guess I'll just start off by saying I enjoyed going up to the new transfer station because we're going to have one in the West End. I wanted to see how
this is laid out. And it's really um you know kudos to Dustin and and the team and all of us you know setting aside money for this type of thing because um it just makes so much sense the way it's set up to drive in pay for what you need
to pay for drive around and see the different places to deposit your items and uh and then to leave. So you know it's um good things coming to the west too. So looking forward to that. >> Any other meetings to share, Commissioner W?
>> No, I just wanted to add about the transfer station event that uh it gave uh our new administrator a time to uh be introduced to many people from District 1. And uh I've not heard one negative
comment or a concern. um she I wouldn't say wowed them, but she's very um we're all the East End is very um hopeful that we're going to get really good leadership in this county. So, thank you.
>> Thank you, Commissioner. >> Anyone else? Commissioner Sullivan. >> Certainly. Um thank you. So, one of the things I've been doing is attending the AMC solid waste workg group on a monthly basis. And I'll send to Janna so she can distribute to all of you three
powerpoints that we've put together on all the solid waste facilities that we've toured and uh looked at. I had an opportunity with members of the highway department and our egg inspector to be part of the pole plant protect event
back in late July and we had 40 members of the public that showed up to learn about terrestrial invasive species and we went out in the pouring rain but that's a really good time to pull and um just the entire end of the gunflint
really received um some good cleaning and tidying up. So, we had three truckloads of pulled plants that came back um to be burned at some point. So, very successful in again educating our public and getting them involved. Um I
attended a couple of lake association meetings. The Popular Lake Area Association um wants to express their appreciation that Sheriff Elias brought a speed sign, a little temporary speed sign that's electronic up on the Gunflint Trail. it flashes speed limit
40 and then what you're going and that along with engineer Hass's um little green men that sit in the middle of the gunflint trail really have helped the speeding issues um so that was very appreciated and then that organization
also uh had a representative from Minnesota lakes and rivers that attended and they are doing a lot of research on wakeboats and have looked at Caribou Lake and the ordinance that we estab established here in Cook County as a
potential model for the state. Um there have been a number of articles in the Minnesota Tribune lately about wakeboats and the turbidity that they create, the damage to the shoreline and they're looking at that as a possibility of also
our decreasing loon population in the state of Minnesota. Um so there is research currently being done on the Gunflint Trail. There are about 15 lakes that have a monitor that goes out and counts the loons. Is there a pair? Are
there chicks? And we're doing water quality testing. And um it'll be a study that will go on for a long time, but that will really help us to understand the decline in our lon population. I attended um a native governance uh
webinar over a period of three weeks talking about tribal sovereignty and really gave uh me some good ideas about how we can continue to move forward with our relationship and um work with Grand Portage. We had a firewise meeting and
as uh Auditor Powers said um we have less federal funding than we've had in the past and more and more requests because of the damage to our balsom furs from spruce budworm. So that is going to be a major challenge. I think it's the
first time I've ever heard the word levy and firewise connected. Um it's not something we've ever needed before, but certainly for the safety and security of our community, that will be potentially something we'd look at. Um we had a
great turnout at Fisherman's Picnic. Um the booth was really fun. I want to thank Janna and also Brook Lassard for setting up and taking down. That's a big task, but we had uh lots of people come and we were located close to the 1854
treaty booth. aquatic invasive species, Cook County Coalition of Lakes. So, it was this nice little county hub where people could uh work together. And I want to thank our new administrator for coming to fisherman's picnic and uh stepping into our booth and seeing what
all we do. Um we had our soil and water conservation district meeting last week and um talked a little bit about the work that's being done on the little Devil Track River. Um, obviously Soil and Water and the highway department are
both working on that project and they had a little shout out to the Flint Lock Shooting Range um or Flint Lock Sports Park for the fact that they donated the trees that are being planted to stabilize the uh shoreline there.
Um, and lastly, um, I went to the Sagenagos Seagull Property Owners Association on Saturday and they, um, have some concerns about wanting to get county support for maintaining the road
that goes to their dumpster. That is on US Forest Service land. It's not on a county road. So um there was a lot of discussion about how to management manage that and what we agreed to is it turns out that for years this property
owners association has managed the maintenance of the road and the plowing. They've never asked anybody else who has dump dumpsters lots of the resorts at the end of the trail to contribute. So we're just going to ask and start a
conversation. Um, I think it will go really well. Um, but that would be it for my updates for this meeting. >> Commissioner White. >> Well, and I would like to add in about the uh meeting at the Council on Aging yesterday
>> and they had more than a thousand people uh sign in to the facility in the month of July. It's not just it's usage of the facility for different events. um chair logo, yoga, things like that.
And then the meals and they have a new cook that I'm heard is actually a real cook. I mean, in training. So, um I've had some of the new meals and I heard the chip the pork chops are really
really good, but I missed that one. So, >> that's it. >> Commissioner, are you referring to the hub? Is >> Yes. Okay. The hub. Okay. Sorry. Thank you. No. >> Oh, one more thing about that. Sorry.
>> That's okay. Um, they would like to invite you as the new administrator to come to one of their meetings when it's works for you because they'd like to talk to you and answer any questions you might have. >> I would be honored to.
>> Okay. I'm reminded u when we talk about invasive species, I do have good news about one of them. You probably have seen the bell flower. >> It's a purple. >> Yeah, >> it's all edible. >> You can as long as it's not sprayed. So, if you have them in your yard,
>> you can um pluck off the little purple flower and put it in a salad. You can dice up the stem right down to the root and also that's edible. And I thought if we could only do that to Tany,
we would be having a lot of salads. But it is edible. So everybody, you can pull it in your yard and and have a nice pretty salad with it. And that's from a a botonist who wrote the article. So I trust that they know. I'll try to if I'm
not here the rest of the week, you'll know why. >> Yeah. >> Any further reports? Otherwise, we can move on to our upcoming meetings. As you see, we have a lot of meetings coming on. Tomorrow, we're going to have um meet and greet
here in the courthouse, which is a um monthly event. And um then in the afternoon, we'll move up to the community center and have a public meet and greet with uh um our new administrator. So, looking forward to that.
Recognition of staff. We have August staff anniversaries. The first one is Alyssa Sherba, Highway Department for three years. Andrea Orst, public health and human services, four years. Jacob Backer from the highway department, six
years. And then we have milestone anniversaries. Josh Dixs from the Highway Department 5 years. And Robbie Kimmelhas, Highway Department, 5 years. And with that, no more business. Uh motion to adjurnn. So moved, Madam
Chair. support. >> We are adjourned. >> Well, we made that short for you. >> Yeah, that was >> great. >> Pretty soon you'll be through all of the awkwardness of Yeah.